Stuart Lancaster, who says he needs “22 warrior spirits” if England are to
beat South Africa in the second Test at Ellis Park on Saturday, has shown
his own boldness in selecting England’s youngest centre partnership for 78
years in Manu Tuilagi and Jonathan Joseph.

Let's play ball: Jonathan Joseph and Manu Tuilagi will look to make England's midfield more attackingPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

The preference also for fly-half Toby Flood over Owen Farrell is a clear indication that England want to add spice to their attack, as well as width, so that the underused try-scoring potency of the likes of wing Chris Ashton can be brought into play.

Lancaster rejects the notion that this is his most radical selection yet, but it looks the most perfectly formed. It was a bold call to drop Farrell, who was beginning to acquire the untouchable status of a Jonny Wilkinson. The Saracens fly-half, who drops to the bench, has been solid without setting pulses racing. Flood, who starts for the first time under Lancaster, has been drafted to deliver a more all-court game for England.

“This is more about it being Toby’s time, about him being ready,” Lancaster said. “He plays flat to the line, kicks well and can move defences around. The last five minutes in Durban showed that we can cause South Africa trouble. We want to be robust in defence but we also have to penetrate those wide channels. It’s not that we will play a different game but that there will be a different emphasis.”

Farrell has taken his demotion well, according to Lancaster. There is little doubt that it would have been foolhardy to put three youngsters at the core of England’s midfield, the very area that is a prime target for the big South African runners.

The return of Flood to active starting service is designed not just to pep up England’s attack but also to provide greater authority at half-back where he teams up with Leicester colleague Ben Youngs. Flood is the calming influence, the elder statesman, the player there to draw the best out of others, Youngs included.

“We will have a crack as going toe to toe with South Africa is very difficult,” Flood said.

“If we can shift their bigger guys around then we have an opportunity to put some points on the board. We have to play in an aggressive but pragmatic way. We want to cause them the type of problems we did in the closing stages at Kings Park, but more so.”

The Leicester axis will need to be at its most well-oiled if the “next Jeremy Guscott” – as Joseph has been dubbed by Mike Catt – is to get a chance to show if that sobriquet has any merit. The familiarity with each other is offset by the fact that Tuilagi has rarely played inside centre.

He may not be the most nuanced of players, nor the deftest kicker of a ball, but he does get across the gain line. Flood has to harness all that is on offer from the two 21 year-olds.

“The challenge is not to let Manu demand the ball every three seconds and try to run over the top of somebody,” said Flood, part-seriously, part in jest. “JJ looks sharp and the guys say he never makes mistakes and is very level-headed. The way he has trained, he has all the talent in the world.”

Joseph intends to express that talent. “It would be pointless being on the pitch if I wasn’t going to give it a real go,” he said.

Prop Alex Corbisiero returns to the bench while there is a call-up for Saracens full-back Alex Goode. The back-up scrum-half is Lee Dickson.